What if you were prohibited from reading a book that you were interested in during school? What if you were not able to borrow your favorite book from a library? Kids and teens all over the country do not have access to certain books due to book banning. This is the case for kids and teens all over the country. Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian , or ATDPTI, by Sherman Alexie was the second most banned book in America in 2012. Many schools and libraries around the country did not allow ATDPTI to be assigned or checked out from libraries. In Queens, NY ATDPTI was removed from a summer reading list at 114 Middle School. Kelly Ann Mcmullen Preiss is one of the many concerned parents to petition the book and have it removed from her son’s summer reading list. ATDPTI should not have been banned for the kids of 114 Middle School because the book’s messages affect kids in a positive way, kids in middle school can handle the book, and the kids can make personal connections with the book. Parents had concerns about the book’s level of appropriateness. They worried that kids of certain ages could not handle the sexual references and harsh language. ATDPTI encourages kids to follow their dreams as well as teaches them to always have high hopes. “I realized I might be a lonely indian boy, but I was not alone in my loneliness.” (Alexie) This quote shows that no matter how rough life is, you are never alone. Even though ATDPTI can be controversial at times, it still gives kids who read it positive messages. In freshman year, I wanted to read a book my mom had read. The book is called One for the Money , by Janet Evonavich. When I asked to borrow the book, my mom said that it was too inappropriate for me to read but she allowed me to read it anyways because it had a lot of good values that she believed I would absorb. I was twelve at the time and I am extremely glad she let me read the book because I fell in love with the story. I did not enjoy reading prior to the series, but now and ever since I read One for the Money, I love reading. Every child and teen should have the opportunity to read a book they are interested in. Whether it is assigned by a teacher or if they are just plain interested, the freedom to experience a book is very important in kids and teen’s lives. Some may argue that ATDPTI is too inappropriate for children or teens to read but it provokes helpful messages that kids and teens can take with them for the rest of their lives. Most kids can handle the intensity of the book. Sometimes, it is the parents that have a problem with the book. Sherman Alexie said it himself in the article, “The best kids books are written in blood.” Alexie mentions that he had never received angry letters from children or teens who had read the book, only from angry parents. This quote shows that the parents are blowing the situation way out of proportion. Parents should ask kids what they think of the book before they assume and complain. Besides, kids will eventually have to deal with the harsh content that is in the book. Kids know a lot more than parents think they do. According to Alexie, “Everything in the book is what every kid in that school is dealing with on a daily basis.” ATDPTI is a non fiction book. Everything is real. Real characters, real racism, real problems. Everything that happens in this book occurs in the real world. Parents try to shelter their kids from reality. It is not the kids that are the problem, its the parents. When children and teens watch movies, read books, or even play video games, most of the time they connect what is happening in the story to their own lives. For example, I connected with the book because when Junior went to Reardan it was a different experience for him. He felt intimidated by everyone at first, but he got used to it and learned to love the school he went to. I transferred from Carlsbad High to High Tech High in 2011. I was scared of everyone from high tech high. Everyone was so smart and they all knew exactly what they were doing. I had to adapt to the new school and get to know how the system worked. I eventually adapted to High Tech High and learned to love everything about it including the people. Kids and teens all over the country should have the chance to make deep connections with the book as I did. Junior also was scared at his new school and had to adapt to the people at his new school. The kids that attend 114 middle school in Queens, NY may never have the chance to read this book. They are missing out on messages of hope and even connections they could have made with the book. What if ATDPTI would have changed a child’s life? What if ATDPTI would have helped a child through a tough time? What if a child needed this book and did not have access to it or was not allowed to read it? No child or teen should have these “what ifs.” SourcesAlexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. Boston: Little Brown and company, 2007. Print.Alexie, Sherman. "Why the best kid's books are written in blood." Speak Easy. N.p., 9 June 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2013.